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Pharminox Ltd signs exclusive agreement with CRT

On August 12, 2004 Pharminox Limited, ("Pharminox" or "The Company") a private, small-molecule oncology research and development company that was formed out of Oxford University in 2002, has reported signing a second agreement with Cancer Research Technology Limited (CRT), the technology transfer company of the charity Cancer Research UK(Press release, Cancer Research Technology, AUG 12, 2004, View Source [SID1234523447]).

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The agreement gives Pharminox an exclusive 12-month option to licence the worldwide rights to Phortress, the lead compound in a class of novel anti-tumour agents, and related compounds for development and commercialisation.

Phortress, whose mechanism of action is distinct from all other classes of chemotherapeutic agents currently available, was discovered by Professor Malcolm Stevens and co-workers in his Cancer Research UK sponsored research group based at Nottingham University. Preclinical research studies have shown that Phortress is active in vivo against human breast, ovarian and colon xenografts. A Cancer Research UK sponsored Phase I trial to determine the maximum tolerated dose of Phortress has been initiated, under the direction of Professor Calvert at the Northern Centre for Cancer Treatment in Newcastle.

In December 2003 Pharminox signed it’s first licensing agreement with CRT, which gave the Company the worldwide development and commercialisation rights to a novel series of anti-tumour compounds known as quinols that are currently in preclinical development.

IP2IPO Group plc, the AIM listed intellectual property company that commercialises university technology, holds a 14% equity stake in Pharminox.

Commenting on the announcement, Sue Barrowcliffe, CEO of Pharminox, said: "The latest agreement with CRT provides access to a clinical stage compound and therefore represents a major step forward in the process of building Pharminox into an exciting oncology research and development company."

Professor Malcolm Stevens OBE, Cancer Research UK Professor of Experimental Cancer Chemotherapy and Chief Scientific Officer of Pharminox Limited, stated: "I am delighted that this small but dynamic UK company is to be given the opportunity to develop these very exciting novel anti-tumour agents. I am particularly pleased that this agreement will allow close co-operation with the inventors of the compounds through the critical early stages of development."

Harpal Kumar, CRT’s CEO, added: "I am pleased that CRT has had the opportunity to facilitate the continued development of this novel cancer chemotherapeutic under the auspices of Professor Stevens and in so doing strengthening our relationship with Pharminox."

The Institute of Cancer Research and CRT make european BRAC2 gene patent freely available

On August 8, 2004 The Institute of Cancer Research and Cancer Research Technology Limited (CRT), the technology transfer company of the charity Cancer Research UK, reported the availability of free licences of European patents on the hereditary breast cancer gene BRCA2 to publicly funded research laboratories and not-for-profit research laboratories(Press release, Cancer Research Technology, AUG 11, 2004, View Source [SID1234523448]).

The patents are based on the pioneering work of Professor Mike Stratton undertaken at The Institute of Cancer Research and funded by CRT’s parent charity, Cancer Research UK.

Further instructions for obtaining the licence can be found in the Downloads section of CRT’s website: commercial.cancerresearchuk.org/pages/about_download.html.

CRT grants exclusive license to Genentech to patent portfolio of an oncology target

On July 20, 2004 Cancer Research Technology (CRT) reported that it has entered into a license agreement granting Genentech, Inc. (NYSE: DNA) exclusive worldwide rights to its patent portfolio covering an oncology target discovered in the Molecular Oncology Laboratory (Oxford) of Cancer Research UK(Press release, Cancer Research Technology, JUL 20, 2004, View Source [SID1234523449]). This oncology target was validated through collaboration between Cancer Research UK and CRT’s Development Laboratory. Genentech plans to evaluate the potential of protein therapeutics directed to this target.

Harpal Kumar, CEO of CRT, commented, "CRT is delighted to have completed its first licensing partnership with Genentech for a therapeutic target. This partnership further exemplifies CRT’s role in bringing benefit to cancer patients by facilitating the development of early-stage opportunities and forming partnerships between cancer researchers and industry to accelerate the development of new therapies. We believe that Genentech is the ideal partner to accelerate this therapeutic opportunity towards the clinic.

KuDOS Pharmaceuticals signs agreements with University of Cambridge and CRT

On June 28, 2004 KuDOS Pharmaceuticals Limited, a leading private oncology company,reported to has signed agreements with The University of Cambridge and Cancer Research Technology Limited (CRT), the technology transfer company of the charity Cancer Research UK, to ensure continued access to the technology generated in Professor Stephen Jackson’s laboratory at the Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology at the University of Cambridge(Press release, Cancer Research Technology, JUN 28, 2004, View Source [SID1234523450]). The agreements enable KuDOS continued access to Professor Jackson’s innovative research into DNA repair.

KuDOS is currently developing potent and highly selective small molecule therapies that block DNA repair in cancer cells, making tumours more vulnerable to the fatal DNA-disrupting effects of both radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Such small molecules promise a significant breakthrough in cancer management, particularly in therapy-resistant tumours, which commonly occur and contribute significantly towards poor prognosis.

Recent developments have greatly improved the understanding of the mechanisms used by cells to identify and repair breaks in DNA, and the potential for drugs that target DNA repair in the treatment of a range of human diseases including cancer.

Professor Jackson is the Frederick James Quick Professor of Biology at the Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology. He is also the founder and Chief Scientific Officer at KuDOS Pharmaceuticals.

Professor Jackson, said: "We are delighted to continue the commercial relationship between the University of Cambridge, CRT and KuDOS. These agreements will facilitate further research into this new and exciting area, and could have a significant impact on the treatment of cancer."

"Cancer Research UK have for some time supported the high quality research carried out in Prof Jackson’s laboratory and CRT was instrumental in the formation of KuDOS, which has rapidly translated this basic science into potential new medicines. These agreements are an extension of the mutually beneficial relationship all three parties continue to enjoy," said Dr Keith Blundy, Chief Operating Officer of CRT.

Dr David Secher, Director of Research Services at the University of Cambridge, said: "These two agreements between the University of Cambridge/CRT and KuDOS Pharmaceuticals will provide the opportunity to further develop Professor Jackson’s substantial research into therapies that can help with cancer treatment and management. Cambridge Enterprise was pleased to negotiate the agreements on behalf of the University and wishes KuDOS further success."

Sareum announces collaboration with CRT

On June 12, 2004 Sareum Holdings plc (AIM: SAR), the structure-based drug discovery and services business, is pleased to report it has entered into a collaborative agreement with Cancer Research Technology Limited (CRT), the oncology focused technology transfer and development company (Press release, Cancer Research Technology, JUN 12, 2004, View Source [SID1234523442]).

Under the terms of the agreement, which is on a fee-for-service basis and is for 6 months’ duration, Sareum will provide computational chemistry expertise to support several of CRT’s therapeutic discovery programmes in cancer. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Commenting on the announcement, Sareum’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tim Mitchell, said: "We are delighted that we have been chosen by Cancer Research Technology to provide these drug discovery services and we look forward to making a valuable contribution to their development programmes."

Commenting on the announcement, CRT’s Head of Medicinal Chemistry, Dr Tony Raynham, said: "Importantly, Sareum’s core capabilities in computational chemistry will support CRT’s medicinal chemistry department in the development of drug candidates arising from the research activities of our parent charity Cancer Research UK and our other prestigious international partners."